Ertz has support in locker room, and at home
PHILADELPHIA » Nerves, uneasiness, even fear, Zach Ertz can bounce it off his best friend, and wife, during Super Bowl week.
Julie Johnston Ertz missed Sunday’s win over the Vikings, as she was busy scoring for the U.S. National Team in a friendly win over Denmark. She’ll be there to stand by her man, the Eagles’ leading receiver, during the spectacle leading up to the title game two weekends from now against the New England Patriots.
“She’ll definitely be there,” Ertz said Wednesday. “At the end of the day, she’s been huge. She’s going as a wife to support me. She’s extremely proud of everything we’ve done as a football team. She understands how hard this team works and how hard I worked in the offseason to get to this point.”
Julie Ertz helped lead the United States to the 2015 World Cup title. A member of the Chicago Red Stars, Ertz is a part of the U.S. National Team. Zach Ertz obviously didn’t reveal the content of their conversations. But it’s obvious she’s been an incredible resource. “We’re each other’s No. fans,” Zach Ertz said. 1 “Our relationship wasn’t built on the athletic success. We truly love each other and that’s the most important thing.”
*** Malcolm Jenkins picked the brain of Upper Darby Police Chief Michael Chitwood as part of the NFL Network “Let’s Listen Together” initiative.
Jenkins and Chitwood will be on the NFLN’s Good Morning Football show at 7 a.m. Thursday (youtu.be/v1z2pzmzD_A).
Eagles receiver Torrey Smith and Patriots safety Devin McCourty will be featured in future shows.
*** Speaking of Jenkins, he was congratulated for reaching the Super Bowl by a neighbor while taking the trash out.
“It was early in the morning and he came running out of his house just to say good luck and shake my hand,” said Jenkins, who resides in New Jersey. “He had his T-shirt on, like he was getting dressed or something. When I was in New Orleans and we won the Super Bowl, that franchise had never won one, and I saw the response in that community. Seeing a fan base as passionate as the Eagles’ is, to be able to have that celebration, I know what it means.”
*** Ertz, by the way, is looking forward to competing against the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski, widely considered the premier tight end in football.
Gronkowski (6-6, 265) gets up the field like a wide receiver.
Gronkowski has averaged a shade under 12 TD grabs in seasons he’s played 10 or more games. And not just because Tom Brady is the quarterback.
“I think his second year in the league he set the record for touchdowns (17) and yards (1,327) from the tight end position,” Ertz said. “He’s set pretty much every tight end record out there. The guy is a physical specimen, a freak. He’s able to use his body. He obviously has a very good quarterback throwing him the ball. But he would still be producing those numbers with or without Tom Brady.”
*** Each of the Eagles have earned a playoff share of $135,000.
If the Eagles win Super Bowl, it hikes share to $191,000.
*** The Eagles will practice at the University of Minnesota, the Patriots at the Vikings’ Winter Park facility.
With their choice of jerseys, the Patriots elected to wear white. The Patriots are 3-0 in white in Super Bowls under Bill Belichick.
The Birds will wear midnight green jerseys.
*** Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox says the Eagles missed a lot of tackles early in their win over the Vikings. the the
“We can’t do that going forward,” Cox said. “I missed a tackle on that opening drive. I had a breakdown. I think emotions took over that first drive of the game. I think once guys settled in we weren’t going to beat ourselves.”
The Eagles have given up just one second-half touchdown in their last five games, that in their meaningless 6-0 loss to the Cowboys.
The Eagles have outscored the opposition, 200, in the second halves of playoff games.
The Patriots have outscored opponents, 28-13, in the second half of this playoff season.
*** Jenkins had fun when asked if former Patriots LeGarrette Blount or Chris Long had given him tips on how to defend Rob Gronkowski.
“I’m not sure how many times Chris or LeGarrette had to cover him,” Jenkins said. “The Patriots do so many things well that you may have a tip here or there, they do such a good job adjusting that it doesn’t matter.”
On a serious note, Jenkins is excited to compete against Gronkowski. Gronk was hurt the last time the teams played, a 35-28 Eagles victory in early December of the 2015 season.
Jenkins’ 99-yard picksix of Brady in the third quarter broke a tie, and the Eagles were never headed.
Blount rushed for yards on 13 carries for Patriots. 54 the